As any new or veteran parent will tell you, the first several months of your baby’s life can be extremely hard on the parents emotionally and physically. Keeping up with the demanding 24/7 schedule is difficult enough, but pile on top of that the lack of sleep due to constant worry for the safety of your child. It also doesn’t help that we live in a highly social age where there is persistent messaging about newly discovered dangers that you need to be aware of with a baby. There are even further considerations if your infant is born prematurely. This is when having a baby monitor you can trust to be reliable and alert you when something seems wrong is so critical.
In my personal experience, our first baby didn’t leave our side for the first 6-7 months whether that was one of us being with him during the day or him sleeping in a Rock ‘n Play Sleeper next to our bed at night. The main reason for this was statistics we saw from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) which indicated approximated 3,500 infants die annually due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and also stated the following:
“It is recommended that infants sleep in the parents’ room, close to the parents’ bed, but on a separate surface designed for infants, ideally for the first year of life, but at least for the first 6 months…There is evidence that sleeping in the parents’ room but on a separate surface decreases the risk of SIDS by as much as 50%.” Source: AAP
Shortly after the 6-month mark, you’ll be looking to move the baby into their own room and crib. Sleep may continue to be limited since you’ll be waking up countless times during the night and often peak at the monitor to check on them. You may stare at the screen for minutes trying to see if their belly is going up and down before getting up to check on them.
We previously reviewed the Netgear Arlo Baby and Infant Optics DXR-8, which are both exceptional baby monitors. However, these are purely video and audio monitors which do not precisely track breathing or movement. This is where monitors like the Cocoon Cam Plus and Owlet Smart Sock 2 shine since they offer unique abilities like detecting breathing and the latter also monitors heart rate.
Best Baby Breathing Monitor Comparison
Cocoon Cam Plus
Pros
- No wearables required for the baby
- HD video quality (720p)
- Monitors breathing to identify any irregularities
- Alerts for when baby falls asleep, awakens, or starts crying
- Remote and shared access with WiFi connectivity
Cons
- Breathing monitor requires several minutes to calibrate and needs to recalibrate after movement
- Camera needs to be mounted very close to the crib for breathing sensor
Owlet Smart Sock 2
Pros
- Unique heart rate, oxygen level, and sleep tracking using pulse oximetry
- Color and sound indicators on the base station and mobile devices to let you know if a reading goes out of pre-defined ranges
- User-friendly mobile app interface
- Direct contact ensures more accurate readings of your infant’s well-being
Cons
- Does not have video or sound monitoring
- Higher product cost
Detailed Baby Breathing Monitor Review
Review Categories:
- Ease of Use
- Baby Wellness Monitors
- Additional Features
- Pricing
EASE OF USE
The initial setup for these monitors is very simple and fast. Starting with the Owlet Smart Sock 2, it should only take 5-10 minutes to get everything set up. The base station plugs into a power outlet so you can charge the sensor that slips into the sock for tracking. The socks are designed to securely fit babies 0-18 months and up to 25 pounds. You’ll need to download the Owlet Baby Care mobile app on your iPhone or Android device to set up the WiFi connection and see readings from the sock sensor. The app interface is very intuitive with quick access to the baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels, notifications, and alert history.
The Cocoon Cam Plus requires more setup time since you’ll be mounting a camera to a wall next to the crib. This is the most time-consuming part and is something you’ll want to make sure is done right. If the camera is mounted properly, you should be able to view most of the bed surface. Overall, it should only take 25-30 minutes to mount the camera and use the iPhone or Android mobile app to get the monitor connected.
Advantage: Owlet Smart Sock 2
BABY WELLNESS MONITORS
The Cocoon Cam Plus baby monitor utilizes high-quality video and sound to help you monitor your infant. It can alert you to when your baby awakens, falls asleep, or starts crying so you don’t have to constantly check on them. However, the feature that sets this monitor apart from other video baby monitors is the ability to track breathing. After the baby is asleep for several minutes, the monitor calibrates the sensors to identify the position of the baby and movement from breathing. The alerts and notifications are generally accurate, but as with any monitoring device, there may be challenges in consistency.
The Owlet Smart Sock 2 baby monitor is a true innovator when it comes to baby wellness monitoring. The product is an investment, but they make a premium device that may help you sleep at night. The smart sock sensor captures critical data about your baby’s heart rate, oxygen levels, and sleep which they present in nice trend graphs on the app. You won’t get this kind of data from any other baby monitors outside of a hospital setting. If the readings go outside of the safe ranges, you will be notified on your mobile device so you can quickly react.
Advantage: Owlet Smart Sock 2
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Outside of the standard video and sound monitoring on the Cocoon Cam Plus, it also offers remote access through WiFi connectivity. This provides an ability to view your infant from another room or city. Since the baby monitor is connected to the internet, you can share access with family members who might be watching your baby. There is also crying and sleeping alert features on the Cocoon Cam Plus which are not as common with other baby monitors.
The Owlet Smart Sock 2, on the other hand, was made for a very specific and incredibly important purpose. The pulse oximetry readings are at the core of what this product offers. The mobile app does allow you to see how much sleep the baby is getting and shows trends in readings over time. They also provide 3 pairs of washable socks which they ask you to switch feet on a nightly basis. Overall, this is a product that doesn’t try to be a bunch of different things.
Advantage: Cocoon Cam Plus
PRICING
Cocoon Cam Plus
Owlet Smart Sock 2
Recommended Baby Breathing Monitor
With an innovative, high quality, and reliable sock sensor, the Owlet Smart Sock 2 baby monitor (Buy Now) is our recommended device for tracking the breathing, movement, heart rate, and sleep of your infant. While you may want to combine this with a video baby monitor, you will not find a better baby device that provides the peace of mind this smart sock does.